Happy, Happy Birthday Landon Dear, Happy Days Will Come To You All Year. 9/26/08

We received a Wonderful call today from a sweet Sister that lives in Roxboro, Donna Holder. She said that she was having Elder Wiltbank and his Companion over for dinner. She made his favorite "Suppa" of Bar-b-q Pork Chops and a Birthday Cake. She sent us a picture of him on his 20th Birthday. The people of North Carolina are the kindest people. Landon has grown to have so much love for them. This sweet Sister had the kindest southern voice and hospitality. As his family, we appreciate people loving and caring for our son. What a fantastic experience this is for our family. This is the comment she sent to us along with his "Deer In The Head Lights" expression. Rachel

Elder Wiltbank is a blessing to all of us. We know that you are very proud.

- donna

This is My side of the Yard!

My Friend Robin put a picture on her blog of someones junky yard. I thought it was funny. I told her what I look at in my yard. I have my side and Bart has his. We need an HOA at the Ranch!

This is Bart's side of the yard, Robin do you want to be my HOA? I need it!lol

What the !@#*?

This is What I see in MY YARD! Bart thinks he is going to make some kind of water generator to make electricity.

I am not a pack RAT, or am I?

The other day I needed a cord for my camera that I knew I had stuck....SOMEWHERE. I started looking in all the spots I stash stuff, boy I've got a lot of stash places. By my bed in a basket, in a hat box on my dresser, in drawers etc. etc. I realize that I "save" a lot of stuff. As I'm still looking for the cord I come across a baby outfit that I still keep in my underwear drawer. It has special meaning because all 4 of my babies wore it and after I had Jaxten, it just permanently stayed there. It's the tie I have to my "Babies". I still pull it out once in a while and smell it to see if it has lingering sweet baby smell. I look in the Hat Box and find some rocks my Mom had saved forever because "They had gem stones in them and I can have them made into jewelry" she would say...so I can't part with them. Then I look in a little jewelry box I've had since I was a kid. I came across most of my mom's old licences she kept over the years. Her last one she said her hair was "White" I guess she finally came to terms with aging and quit coloring her hair and let go of being the forever blond. Yes, there were the pregnancy test I kept, the "Escort Tag" Bart's Dad wore when we went through the Temple 21 something years ago. Baby teeth that belonged in one of the kid's mouth, a picture of me when I was 3 that my Grandpa Norton kept in his wallet until he died, I was in my late 20's when he died. A Mothers day corsage Landon made when he was a Teacher in Young Men's. Many card's with sweet sediment. Gold tatting lace my Aunt Theresa made me for Christmas one year. The list goes on and on. I realize, maybe I am a Pack Rat after all. But don't ask me to get rid of one thing, I can't do it! They are my "Earthly Treasures"
When Bart's Mom passed away 13 years ago, we went through a Hope Chest she had made. It was full of stuff like that. We would pull something out and ask Kami and Kerri, "What is this and what did it mean?" Nobody knew. It made me realize my kids will probably think the same thing,"huh??". I think our "Treasure's" are so special and have a deeper meaning then the item it self. I guess it comes down to the people we love and the memories we have shared. What are some of your treasures? Please Share with Me! Rachel

Halloween Has Come Early At Our House!

We have a Jack-o-lantern living at our house. Jaxten has lost 3 teeth in one week. He's made a haul in money. He was hoping he would lose one at School so he could get a treat from the tooth box. He did! Yeah!!

Stinkin' Rotten Day!! 9/10/08

Okay, aren't blog's suppose to be about wonderful things. You know, sunrises, flowers, loving families and wonderful activities. Well this one isn't!! If you aren't in the mood to hear me gripe then you might not want to read this, I tell you, I give you fair warning!! What a crappy day! Starts off with Macie's truck breaking down, then the water to the house (We are on a spring, fed to the house and pumped in)decides to plug-up with roots. I know this because there is no water to help wash my mountain of stinkin' laundry. So I trudge up to the spring to see what I can possibly do to fix the matter. Bart always does this and I am impatient to wait the hour until his arrival home. I lift the home made million pound lid some man made never thinking a women would lift it!! I dig for roots. I can't reach them because the pipe is to far down so I have to lay on my belly to pull and dig. I am covered head to toe in stinkin' mud and muck. Finally I give in and try to use my toes. Hey it worked pretty good. I know I can now survive if my arms get severed in some farming accident. I get down to the house and still no water. Bart comes home and gets to looking and something has flushed through the whole water system and plugged every screen to every faucet and my washers. Yes I have 2 washers and they are going all the time!! Thank goodness I have a smart Husband! We pull washers out and get things rolling again.So I have to run back to town to get Macie's truck, stuck on the side of the road, luck has it, it starts. Well time for baths and late homework and..... then I hear this sound out side. I look and wouldn't you know it, it's our annual "digging of the porcupine quills" out of bunny. Dumb dog! I know I bragged about her in the past and how smart she is but how can that dog be such a stinkin'dummy when it comes to pain? We have to totally hog tie her down. There's blood and sweat and cussing, pliers and scissors involved. It is a horrible mess. Why Why Why? She does this every Stinkin' year!! Then it's bed time and Brayden decides it's time to figure out where he has lost/left his football pads. We make phone calls and nobody has seen them, tomorrow's his game. I finally crawl in the shower and get out and there is a phone call from my sister's. They must have felt I needed them because I unloaded. I'm not a crier but I tell you IT FELT GOOD! Thanks Kerri and Leah, you're always there when I need you. I'm glad you'll listen to me about my STINKIN' day. It seems like lately we trade off days, it was my day today. SEE I WARNED YOU! It wasn't no STINKIN' roses today!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

September Reflection

This is such a special and reflective time of the year for Bart and I. This is when we were preparing to become parents 20 years ago. All my life I knew that my roll on this earth would be to become a Wife and a Mother. I never had any doubt and I couldn't wait to have that first baby once Bart and I were married. I wanted so much to have a Son first. It just seemed to me that if I had a Son as the oldest, that he could be a strong example and strength to his siblings and that's exactly what he is, plus I knew how much Bart wanted a Son!
When I see the Sun start to shift and I feel the cool of the evenings, it takes me right back to that special moment in time. It's ironic that we were living here on the Ranch then and we have come full circle and are living here again. I remember waking up early in the mornings with Bart and he would build me a little fire so I could warm my big belly up. We would lay in bed and watch my belly move like I had cats in there or something, okay we were bored and didn't have T.V.
We LOVED our baby boy so much. Every thing he did was documented with pictures and video. His first real words besides daddy and mama, was "Har pray" hair spray. Why you ask? Because he was mocking his daddy. Bart said it to me and Landon had to say it too.
Bart couldn't wait for his baby boy to grow up. He wanted a buddy so much and that is what Landon was, his little buddy. Bart took him EVERYWHERE!! He would take him snowmobiling with a diaper bag in tow. He would even change him. Bart couldn't wait for the first "real" father-son camp out. He spent many cold mornings bugling for Elk, Landon could do it way better than his Dad and Grandpa Bill at age 3. Sometimes I would get nervous sending my little guy out but he had a daddy that took good care of him. Landon had so many mountain moments with his dad. That's where he grew up, at the side of his dad.
It is so surprising to me as the moments flew by; Baptism, Receiving the Priesthood, Passing the Sacrament then Blessing it for the first time, that was a hard one for this mom. Landon left out one word and had to say the Sacrament prayer over and over again. I wanted to absolutely cry for him. But he didn't give up and his Bishop knelt beside him and helped him. I'm sure those moments are what help build his character.
Landon was born to be a Missionary. We said that, the moment he was born! "We have a little Missionary" We bought him a suit and tie when he was little and I found a little "Future Missionary" tag. We were so proud of him. I just didn't realize how hard that moment would be to send him off. My heart was in my throat for days with the anticipation of the "Airport Goodbye". I know that Heavenly Father blesses a Mother at that time. He must or we would be running down the terminal after them bawling our eyes out!
He was so adored by his grandma's and aunt's. Kami loved all the hair he had so she had to dress him up as a little girl, I do say, he made a darling little girl, with his long eye lashes and curly hair.
He was such a good little boy. He was full of mischief but he was always so happy. He could be a rotten tease but that little grin was hard to get mad at. I would get mad at him and it didn't seem to fase him.
We just adored our first baby boy and he made us better people. He was the "trial child" We had to learn a lot about being a parents and made many mistakes along the way. I hope he will forgive us for the things we did wrong and build on the things we did right. It's just amazing how fast this little guy grew into a MAN! When did that happen? Where was I at when it went by? I know the day will come when He will be a Husband and a Father, I know it will surprise me because I still can't believe that our "Little Missionary" is fulfilling that role. He has been a blessing and a joy. So this time of the year brings much melancholy to us, as parents. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!! So Happy BIRTHDAY to US, Landon, because it certainly was!